Miyo Pimatisiwin Legal Services provides trauma-informed legal representation and consultations in B.C. in the area of criminal law and human rights law.

If you have been arrested or charged with a criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canadaor believe you have been discriminated against or harassed under one of the protected characteristics identified in the BC Human Rights Code, please contact us for a free consultation.

criminal law

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms establishes several rights to protect individuals who are arrested or detained by police. If you are arrested, you should know that you have the right to:

remain silent when questioned by the police;

be told why you have been arrested or detained;

access duty counsel or legal aid; and

speak with a lawyer, in private, as soon as possible.

If you do not have a lawyer and the police do not inform you about your right to duty counsel or legal aid services, ask the police for the toll-free duty counsel phone number. Duty counsel are defence lawyers who are paid by the government so there is no charge to you when you make this call.

human rights in B.C.

The BC Human Rights Code helps protect you from discrimination, harassment and retaliation if you bring a complaint forward. The Code allows you to file a complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal if you believe you have been discriminated against or harassed under one or more of the protected characteristics.

Important Update: Following a four-day hearing in September 2019 at the B.C Human Rights Tribunal, Amber Prince and Myrna McCallum, were successful in establishing that Vancouver Police officers discriminated against their client, Deborah Campbell, when she witnessed thepolice arrest her son in 2016.

In addition to awarding damages to Ms. Campbell in the amount of $21,000 the tribunal also ordered the Vancouver Police Board to provide better training to police who are working with Indigenous people “to ensure they are able to do so without discrimination.”